Japan’s Ryo Hisatsune began his first round at the Ras Al Khaimah Championship with six successive birdies en route to posting a stunning 64 to lead by two shots at Al Hamra Golf Club in the UAE..
The DP World Tour Qualifying School graduate made the most of favourable scoring conditions on Thursday, firing nine birdies before dropping his only shot of the day at the 18th after an errant tee shot to finish on eight under par.
The 20-year-old got his early birdie run started with a tap-in at the first before holing from 17 feet for another on the second. He then took advantage of the long third for a hat-trick of birdies and sent his tee-shot at the par-three fourth to eight feet before holing the putt. He then holed a five-footer at the fifth before making it six in a row on the sixth, with further birdies coming on the eighth, 10th and 15th, before his sole dropped shot on the last.
Hisatsune, who finished in a tie for second at the Australian PGA Championship back in November, is two shots ahead of Rasmus Højgaard, Edoardo Molinari and Matthew Baldwin. Ryan Fox, who tasted success in Ras Al Khaimah last year, was another stroke further back on five under along with Callum Shinkwin, Alexander Björk, Kazuki Higa, Oliver Bekker and Oliver Hundebøll.